This new set includes images taken recently and a few taken years ago. I enjoy sharing how I captured and edited these images. The goal is to explain what went right and wrong with the intention of helping others; something not available to me as I began learning about photography. In particular, portraiture is an area that seems to require a little more work than other types of photography. The challenge is capturing a person's personality. I'm still working on it...
1. A portrait taken during a Dia de Los Muertos/yoga shoot. Excellent paint job. Beautiful eyes. So-so photograph.
(f/5.6, 1/8 sec, ISO 400, 50mm)
2. Sifu Tufts on the Wing Chun Wooden Dummy. I learned a valuable lesson regarding the setup and lighting for shooting images where the background has to be black. Instead of hanging dark backdrops and turning out the lights, a low ISO, medium f-stop and high shutter speed and be used to control ambient light to a significant point. Photo #6 on this page is an example of using that technique.
(f/16, 1.6 sec, ISO 800, 50mm)
3. Taken against the bright lights of buildings on Tempe Town Lake, this image worked out rather well. There was some chromatic aberration around the raised arm of the model, but it was easily removed during editing. Now if I can only remember the exact location where I took the photo, I'd use it again.
(f/2.8, 1/115 sec, ISO 640, 85mm)
4. First attempt at a James Bond'ish shoot. With temps already above 100 F, we were able to pull it off before everyone melted. The final image was filtered. The next time this opportunity presents itself, I'll pay closer attention to the available light and use a lower ISO.
(f/4.0, 1/640 sec, ISO 400, 30mm)
(f/16, 1/320 sec, ISO 100, 85mm)
6. Taken many years after photo #2, I used the technique mentioned and it worked perfectly. Although the room was lighted by the afternoon sun, with a low ISO, high shutter speed, medium f-stop and a strobe, the ambient light was eliminated leaving only the light from the strobe. No dark backdrop was used. Behind the model was a very bright orange wall.
(f/5.6, 1/640 sec, ISO 64 85mm)
